Medical Forms

Both respite days are available to all! You may come to both!

 

Welcome! Respite is every 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., $15 per child per day. Siblings are welcome. We do not encourage parents to stay at respite! Respite is one-on-one time for children, a way to make new friends and learn new things. Respite is also for parents to have a break and some time to themselves.

We are NOT a drop-in day-care facility. You must bring your child to respite on time and pick him/her up on time. If you are going to be late, you must call by 10:30 or your child's place will be given to the next family on the waiting list. We have a long waiting list!

Respite day is highly structured and designed to help meet your child's personal goals. We have volunteers for a library station, homework table, music lessons and 4-H projects. We have PEER MENTORS from private/public schools and from groups like the Boy Scouts and 4-H. We have had up to 100 volunteers at respite day! Their dedication and willingness to spend the day with our children is greatly appreciated.Your child will be matched with a volunteer for the day. They will do an arts project with Ilene. These monthly projects always include a gift to bring home to share.

Your child will also have an opportunity to join the 4-H club! We are the only 4-H club specifically designed for special needs children in Virginia that meets regularly. Projects include photography, sewing, gardening and animals. We will have a chance to participate in the County fair and 4-H camp.

The volunteers include special education teachers, occupational therapists, nurses, musicians, artists, Boy Scout Troop 161, coaches, 4-H clubs, church groups, honor societies, women's groups, the Lions, the Ruritans, the Knights of Columbus, the American Bar Association, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, librarians, and parents.

Even Governor Tim Kaine has volunteered for us, demonstrating his commitment to Mary's Family. The one thing our volunteers have in common is love, and the ability to give their love to our children.

We have a pediatric nurse on site. Because we have children with a wide range of differing abilities and medical conditions the nurse is limited to a very strict schedule. You MUST sign your child in and out with the nurse. The nurse is responsible for medicine, toileting and all lunch food brought for your child. Please label everything your child brings. The nurse has to keep to a schedule that includes g-tube feeding, catheter changes, giving medicines with food, and hugs. Please respect the nurse's paid professional duties and help her stay on schedule.

Every hour the nurse and three volunteers check do a head-check. Your child will never be alone with a volunteer. Your child cannot go home with anyone but you, or someone you arrange.

Your child will be bringing home arts projects, information for you from Mary's Family, and presents. Please make sure you have checked in with a staff person before you leave. Make sure you have picked up all the things your child has created!

Participating in respite is only part of what we offer. We also offer help throughout the month. If another family is having a crisis, like an emergency hospitalization, you might be expected to cook up a casserole! Or you may be asked to help with one of the many workshops we offer. A Mary's Family dad designed our logo.  A Mary's Family mom helped us put our addresses on label form. A Mary's Family mom and dad hosted a lunch for parents in 2004.

We are creating a community of people who care for one another. We are more than our once a month respite day....

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Mary's Family | P. O. Box 236 | Orlean, VA 20128 | 540/364-4757